


Monkeys, Dreams And Love

by ready_to_kick_some_ass



Series: FitzSimmons AUs [7]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: A lot of monkeys, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No SHIELD (Marvel), F/M, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Vet Jemma, Zoo, Zookeeper Fitz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 22:55:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18537142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ready_to_kick_some_ass/pseuds/ready_to_kick_some_ass
Summary: On her first workday as vet at the ZSL London Zoo, Jemma Simmons meets zookeeper Leo Fitz.





	Monkeys, Dreams And Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lostgirl966](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostgirl966/gifts).



 

The story is basing on this wonderful gifset by @agentpolarbear! Link: [FitzSimmons Zoo AU ](http://agentpolarbear.tumblr.com/post/183504123933/fitzsimmons-zoo-keepers-au)

* * *

 

Jemma opens the windows of her little doctor's office wide and breathes in the fresh air. She closes her eyes for a calm moment and listens to the soft singing of the birds, smiling.

It’s spring and the meadow in front of the building is peppered with daisies and colorful crocuses. The trees around are sprinkled with fresh green, the buds growing quickly in the mild warmth of the sun, that finally has the strength to break through the clouds.

It’s a lovely sunny day and Jemma is full of enthusiasm. Today is her first real work day at the ZSL London Zoo. For months, she has been unbearable excited about the beginning of this very new part of her life.

She had troubles sleeping at night because her restless mind was imagining all kinds of horror scenarios for the first day. None of them became true, of course. The only real stressful thing is her way to work.

Jemma is currently sharing a flat with her former fellow student Milton. Unfortunately, the flat is quite far away from the zoo. Jemma has to ride a crowded stuffy train for almost two hours. That also means, that she has to get up terribly early. It was still dark when she got up today. She just hopes she will get used to that … Or that she will find a new flat near the zoo sometime.

Jemma shakes the worries off for now. There are more important things to think about. She smiles, when she hears a donkey calling out unmelodiously in the distance. The next moment a sea lion seems to answer, barking a few times in a deep tenor. She turns away from the window and looks around in the office. She still has to learn where her tools are. There are so many different drawers! She spent the most part of this morning with introducing herself to her assistants and the secretary. They are all so lovely, they even baked a welcome chocolate cake for her. Their kindness took a big part of Jemma's initial insecurity and anxiety away.

 _This is it_ , she thinks, running her hand over the smooth surface of the examination table in the middle of the room. _I’m finally where I wanted to be. No more studying for exams and only learning about exotic animals in a crowded dim lecture hall. The dreaming is over. This is the real thing._ _This is the start._

Of course she knows this is also going to be a lot of work. A whole zoo, more than 17,000 animals are about to need a lot of medical attention, from tooth care to infections to childbirth to broken bones. Fortunately, she isn’t responsible alone. There’s a whole team of vets and she really hopes she’s going to be able to be a helpful, professional part of it. Oh, she’s so excited she could jump in the air …

A sudden knock at the door interrupts her thoughts, and she flinches slightly, turning around on her heels. “Yes!” She calls cheerfully, quickly wiping her sweaty hands on her jeans.

The door opens slowly. A man carrying a basket enters her office. He's wearing an olive-green shirt and beige pants, the typical zookeeper outfit here. When he spots Jemma, he falters in his steps and his eyes fill with a hint of confusion. “Oh. I’m sorry. I’m searching Doctor Fraser.”

Jemma smiles. “Doctor Fraser retired. I’m the new vet. Jemma Simmons. Please call me Jemma.” She offers him her hand.

“Oh. I see.” He shakes her hand, his skin calloused and warm. “Leopold Fitz. But I prefer Fitz. I’m responsible for the monkeys. Speaking of which …” He puts his basket on the examination table and carefully lifts the fluffy blue towel laying in it. A tiny nose appears, sniffing the air. Curious black eyes follow, framed by soft short white fur. When the tiny creature leaves the protection of the towel completely, Jemma realizes it’s a baby squirrel monkey, wearing a tiny diaper. It climbs on the man’s shoulder quickly, chattering excitedly.

Jemma can’t help herself. A delighted noise escapes her throat. Fitz smiles crookedly and strokes the monkey’s head softly with one finger. “Her name is Pippin. She wasn’t accepted by her family. So I’m raising her until she can care for herself,” he explains. “I wanted to let her be checked out. Just to make sure she’s healthy.”

“Of course. Let’s do some checks,” Jemma says brightly. Her first patient. And she’s already in love.

When she takes Pippin from him, Fitz looks at her and their eyes meet for a moment. His are bright blue. They are quite spectacular. Jemma’s gaze lingers on them for a moment and wanders over his face, covered by a slight stubble, up to his curls. He’s handsome. And not much older than her, she figures, before she concentrates on her squirming patient.

Pippin is restless, trying to climb up Jemma's arms whenever she lets go of her. She weighs the little monkey and takes her vitals, measuring blood pressure, listening to the heart and drawing a blood sample. Fitz attentively watches everything she does, his blue eyes following the movements of her hands. 

“Aside from a little scratch behind her ear she’s alright. Completely healthy,” Jemma tells Fitz with a smile, handing the little monkey back to him. Pippin immediately climbs back on his shoulder, holding on to his curls and chattering at Jemma agitatedly as if she wants to scold her for the long tedious examination.

Fitz nods and puts Pippin back into the basket, where the baby monkey quickly disappears under the towel, yawning. “Great. Thank you.” He gives her his half-smile again and she thinks it’s an all over lovely smile. “Goodbye,” he says. "Till next time."

“Goodbye,” Jemma echoes, watching after him when he leaves her office with the basket in his arms. As soon as she's alone, she has to take a few deep breaths. But she's satisfied with herself. She thinks she handled this first challenge quite well.

*

The next day, Jemma is doing a round through the zoo. She still has to learn where everything is and tries to catalogize the order of the exhibits in her head. She needs a mental map.

Jemma thinks the zoo is quite beautiful. The exhibits are big and realistic. It really seems like everyone here is doing their best, to make the homes for all the exotic animals as species-appropriate as possible.

Jemma especially loves Rainforest Life, the indoor exhibit that includes a nocturnal area. She really has the feeling she walks through a little rainforest when she enters. The air is stuffy and heavy. After a while, she feels perspiration trickling down her back. It's even a bit foggy inside the hall. Sunbeams fall through the glass roof and the waterdrops on the various rainforest plants are sparkling like diamonds. Jemma walks on elevated paths and discovers lazily blinking sloths and a few bats, as well as some Emperor Tamarins which are hunting each other through the treetops and look wonderfully healthy. When she turns around a corner, she also discovers another human. It’s the man from yesterday, she realizes. _Fitz_.

He is standing on a little rock, attaching a rope to a tree. She guesses he’s building some enrichment for the monkeys in the exhibit. There’s a concentrated frown on his face. Sweat is glistening on his forehead. A little Red Titi monkey is sitting on his shoulder, sniffing at his ear and scratching its bright red fur.

Jemma leans on a wooden railing that separates the path for the visitors from the rainforest scenery for the animals. “Good morning, Fitz,” she calls.

Fitz flinches slightly and looks at her. The monkey chatters, climbs on his head and jumps on a tree. It quickly disappears between the leaves. “Oh, I spooked it,” Jemma says regretfully. Fitz smiles. “It’s alright. He will come back when he realizes there’s no threat.” He pauses and scratches the back of his head. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you. Still trying to find my bearings. What are you doing?”

“Oh. I’m just extending the climbing possibilities for the monkeys in here. There are so many subadults now, and they want to play the whole day.”

“I see,” Jemma says. A beautiful butterfly lands on the railing beside her and she looks at it in awe. The next moment, there’s a rustling sound and the monkey comes back, looking at Jemma curiously. He jumps from the tree back on Fitz’s shoulder, pressing against Fitz’s face while chattering.

“You are quite popular aren’t you,” Jemma laughs amusedly.

Fitz grins. “He loves body warmth,” he explains. “Usually Red Titi Monkeys aren’t that cuddly, and they barely come down from their trees, but Max was another foundling raised by me. He’s still very attached.”

“I think they’re glad to have you,” Jemma says warmly. She feels that Fitz is absolutely devoted to the animals. A warm hint of fondness spreads inside her.

Fitz throws a glance at her and runs a hand through his curls. “I’m just doing my job,” he says. “As well as I can ...”

The next moment Max chatters cheerfully and pees on Fitz’s shoulder. He blushes a bright red.

Jemma puts her hand over her mouth and laughs.

*

A few days pass and Jemma starts to feel more at home at the zoo than at the flat she shares with Milton.  

No day is the same. And she loves the variation. On some days, she examines calm rabbits or frail tiny mice, on other days she looks into the mouth of a lion or a giant bear. When she enters the train in the evening, she feels exhausted but happy. And on most days the happiness stays until she falls into her bed.The day after is always completely different.

There's only one thing, that starts to develop into a steady constant. Every morning, she’s doing her round. When she walks through the monkey exhibits, she looks out for Fitz. It’s always nice to meet him. To see the half-smile on his face and the glimmer in his blue eyes. She loves to see how gentle and patient he is around the monkeys.  

From the minute he shook her hand she knew she likes Fitz. But it takes her a long while longer to admit to herself that she’s terribly attracted to him.

On a rainy Monday, she finds him sitting cross-legged on the ground inside an exhibit. Squirrel monkeys are all over him, sitting on his knees and shoulders, climbing up his arms and pulling at his shirt with little eager fingers. He’s feeding them with carrot sticks and apple slices, mumbling soft words to them and chuckling when they chatter for more. He looks serene. Entirely at peace.

Jemma leans against the wooden railing in front of the exhibit and smiles. “Morning, Fitz.”

He turns his head to look at her. And there it is. His crooked smile and sparkling blue eyes. Her heart jumps a little loop and she starts to feel a bit ridiculous.

“Morning, Jemma.”

Just like that they develop a routine almost without really noticing it.

  
***

  
Fitz loves his work. He loves to be around his monkeys all day. He especially loves the first few hours after the last visitor left the zoo. It gets quiet and he doesn’t have to make sure anyone throws plastic or unhealthy food into the exhibits of his fosterlings.

On a mild spring evening he is in the walk-through exhibit of the ring-tail lemurs, cleaning the rocks. One of the lemurs, Frank, quite easy to distinguish from the others through his missing right ear, is sitting on his shoulder, eagerly running his little curious fingers through Fitz’s curls while munching on a banana chip.

The exhibit for the lemurs is designed like a Madagascan shrub forest and it’s one of Fitz’s personal favourites. He has build a lot of the scenery with his own hands. He's barely ever satisfied with himself or his work, the lemur exhibit is a welcome change of this pattern. 

His best friend Hunter, who is responsible for the big cats of the zoo, is sitting on the railing watching Fitz work. “That monkey just drooled on you, mate,” he calls cheerfully.

“Thanks. I noticed,” Fitz mumbles, glancing at the small dark line of drool on his shirt absently. Frank cackles into his ear. It sounds a bit like laughter.

“So, have you already met the vet?" Hunter asks and for some reason  his voice sounds lurking. "I met her today when she was doing her rounds. She’s nice.” 

“Her name’s Jemma Simmons,“ Fitz says quietly. The name feels nice on his lips. Simple yet melodic. He likes it. He likes her. Her hazel eyes and her bright smile appear in front of his inner eye and combined with the memory of her soft laughter in his ears, it forms a colourful image, making his insides feel warm and his stomach flutter. Oh crap. He knows exactly he’s blushing. There's no way to hide it, with his pale skin.

Hunter chuckles. Of course, he noticed. Hunter is good at reading Fitz. They spent years together as flatmates after all. “It hit you hard, right mate? I heard she’s giving you heart eyes every morning …”

Fitz snorts. Disbelief rushes through him. This is ridiculous ... Whoever it is, Hunter has this from, they must be blind. „I really don’t think I’m her type Hunter.“

„Why not?“

Fitz rolls his eyes. As if it wasn’t obvious … “Well. She’s beautiful, yeah? And smart. And … Well, look at me. I’m just some idiot who gets peed on by monkeys every other day. Why should she be interested in me?”

Hunter snorts. “Yeah, it’s true monkeys pee on you, but she’s a _vet,_ mate! She has to stick her arm inside elephants or giraffes from time to time.”

Fitz grimaces. He really could have lived without that image. “Ugh, Hunter.”

“What? That’s a fact. Vets _do_ that. And a lot of other disgusting stuff too. Like, just yesterday she had her head inside my tiger Stephen’s mouth, because he had a problematic tooth. I don’t even want to imagine how that smelled – I bet like hell. However, I’m just trying to tell you, that I don’t think it would terribly bother her if you get peed on by your precious monkeys from time to time.”

Fitz sighs. “Still. I’m just some random zoo keeper. And she’s …” _She’s perfect_ , he thinks. Out loud he says, "Who would date _me_ anyway?” _I'm sure I'm the least interesting person here_ , he thinks sullenly. _What do have to offer beside like 1000 facts about monkeys ..._

“I would, love,” Hunter tells him seriously.

“Well, thanks. But I guess Bobbi would have something to say to that," Fitz says, raising his eyebrows. “Anyway, aren’t your lions hungry? I think I can hear them screaming for you.”

Hunter chuckles. “They’re always hungry. They wouldn’t mind if I’d present them an All You Can Eat buffet every day." He pouts playfully. "Why do I have the feeling you're trying to get rid of me, mate?" But he still waves goodbye, jumps off the railing and leaves, quietly humming some rock song.

Fitz shakes his head and continues working, while Frank the lemur experimentally bites his earlobe. He doesn't even notice the slight pinch, because his mind is already busy with imagining what if scenarios which are quite pleasant. He could spend the rest of his life inside these scenarios ... What if Jemma is really interested in him? What if they would go on dates and hold hands? What if they would kiss? His face burns and his heart beats faster, but the less optimistic part of his mind, that's terribly emphatic most of the times, still thinks: _Ridiculous ... She would never choose me when there are guys like Hunter around._

***

The newest patient on Jemma’s examination table shows very emphatically that he is not at all happy to be in the office. Every time Jemma and her colleague Susan get near him, the little Humboldt penguin hisses and snaps at their fingers.

“You’re quite a difficult patient, Mr. Penguin,” Jemma tells the furious animal with a chuckle. “But how about a compromise?” She shows him a fish and smiles.

The penguin eagerly swallows the treat and squeaks in surprise when Susan expertly grabs him around the waist and keeps his beak shut with her free hand while he’s distracted. “I’m sorry. You were tricked,” Jemma says regretfully and pulls out a little flashlight. “Now let’s take a look at your eyes …”

They have to administer eyedrops for the little infection inside the penguin’s right eye. Jemma is relieved when they can hand the reluctant patient back to his keeper. She looks at her hands and frowns when she discovers a still bleeding scratch. She puts antiseptic on it and is about to go searching for a plaster, when the door to her office is torn open.

Fitz stumbles inside, breathing heavily. His face is red and his curls are a sweaty tangled mess. He’s cradling a lifeless squirrel monkey to his chest. “I found her in the, the exhibit, un-unconscious,” he stammers, out of breath. “I … I think she may have eaten plastic, there was some in the water.”

Jemma quickly takes the monkey and carefully lays her on the table. She touches the little tummy and frowns at how feverish it feels. She nods at Susan. “We need to do an ultrasonic.” She looks at Fitz reassuringly. “We’re doing for her what he can, Fitz. I promise. You can wait outside.”

Fitz looks up at her, his eyes filled with both fear and hope. “Okay …,” he mumbles and leaves the office, closing the door behind him softly after a last worried glance back over his shoulder.

Jemma goes to work.

*

When Jemma leaves the office to talk to Fitz, she finds him slumped on one of the plastic chairs in the hallway, head in hands and tapping his foot restlessly. When she clears her throat, he perks up, looking up at her with wide eyes. “Is she going to be okay?” He asks and his voice almost breaks halfway through the question.

 _He has such a big heart for every little creature here_ , Jemma thinks fondly. “Yes. She will be alright,” she tells him softly. “She indeed ate some plastic. We had to pump her stomach. And I want to keep her here at the clinic for a night or two. But I bet she’s going to climb around again soon.”

Fitz sighs relieved. “Good. I … Thank you.” His brows draw together in anger. “People are throwing all kind of things into the exhibits. Even if you put a dozen signs everywhere and tell them in the demonstrations, the exhibits are still full of plastic at the end of the day, or visitors fed the monkeys with sweets or popcorn. I mean, I love that there aren’t as many fences and glass as there used to be in the older days, but sometimes I doubt that it’s a benefit for the monkeys to be so close to the humans.”

“I know what you mean. It really is a shame they can’t keep their garbage until they find a bin and think it’s good to feed monkeys with things for humans,” Jemma says angrily, shaking her head. “I wish we could find those responsible and sanction them. They shouldn’t be allowed in a zoo.”

Fitz hums and nods. He gets up with a sigh and scratches the back of his head. “Again, thank you. The animals are fortunate, that you are here to help them. You’re a great vet and, uh …” He looks like he wants to say more, but instead he starts to fidget with the buttons of his shirt and bites his lip.

Jemma waits. Patience is one of her greatest strengths. And usually, it’s worth the wait. Like now.

Fitz inhales deeply and then the words burst out of him so quickly she almost has trouble catching what he says. “Jemma Simmons. Could I invite you to a coffee? – As thank,” he adds quickly, blushing slowly.

Jemma feels her heart jumping an enthusiastic loop. She smiles warmly. “I’d love that, Fitz.”

***

Jemma looks happily at her big piece of cheesecake. It’s delicious. As is the Latte macchiato. Fitz chose the same as her. They are sitting in the café of the zoo which is almost deserted today because it’s a workday and raining cats and dogs.

She looks at Fitz who taps a restless rhythm against the glass in front of him with two fingers. When he returns her gaze, she shivers pleasantly. Yes. She’s obviously in love with him. But she doesn’t know, if he feels anything for her. There are a few signs he does, but … it still could be that he’s already taken and just wants to be good friends. Some part of her, a really urging and enthusiastic part, hopes that's not the case.

Fitz devours a generous piece of cheesecake before he says, “So, now comes the inevitable question. Why did you become a vet?”

Jemma laughs and wipes a strand of hair out of her forehead. “Oh. Well. I always wanted to work with animals. I grew up in the countryside.” She smiles. “It’s really like the middle of nowhere. My parents own a farm and I used to have animals around me all the time. It was when I watched the vet helping our horse to get through a complicated birth, that I first thought about becoming a vet too one day. My parents had a lot of trouble and worries because of me. Once, when I was eight I sat on a hill alone until it got dark, just to be able to see the badgers play in the moonlight.” She laughs brightly. Fitz thinks it’s the most beautiful sound in the world. “I had this notebook … my parents still have it. Every page is about a different kind of animal. Sometimes, they asked me if I rather want to live with the cows in the stable instead with them in our house. But they always supported me.”

Fitz smiles. “I’m glad you could fulfil your childhood dream."

Jemma tastes her cheesecake. The soft sweetness explodes on her tongue. When she swallows she points her fork at Fitz and says, “Now you. Why are you a zookeeper?”

To her surprise, Fitz sighs and looks down at his hand. When he starts to talk, his voice sounds a little bitter. “I always wanted to do something with animals too. Especially with monkeys. I always had a thing for them. I collected every book and movie about them I could get in my hands. First, I thought I would become a naturalist. Travel to jungles and research how monkeys live. But well, my mother died early and my father didn’t really support my ideas.”

A shadow flicks over Fitz’s eyes at the thought.

“He told me to do something proper. Something that would make me rich and successful. So I studied engineering, exactly like him. And to be honest, I liked that too. Most of the times at least. I always loved to build things with my hands. Creating makes me happy. But … it just didn’t feel right. It was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

He shakes his head and taps his index finger against the warm glass in front of him. “As a kid, I went to the zoo as often as I could. Every zookeeper in Glasgow knew me. But my father thought that you couldn't get successful and rich enough in Glasgow. So we moved to London. I didn't like the city. Too big, too many people, too much dust and too little nature. The zoo here was the only thing I liked. When I started to study, I still went here whenever I could. I loved the silence. The calm. And, of course, the monkeys. One day, Hunter, who noticed me hanging around all Sunday, asked me if I would want to make an internship. Well. I did. And after that, I cancelled my studies and started an apprenticeship as  zookeeper. I just took an unexpected opportunity. I realized I didn’t want to do anything else. My father didn’t take it well. He yelled at me over the phone and told me we're not a family anymore if I go on with this ridiculous bullshit. I said _okay_ and cut the call. Since then we haven’t talked. But I’m happy.” He stops, seemingly exhausted after his long speech and takes a sip of his coffee.

“Fitz, I’m glad you did that. It’s never too late to follow your dreams,” Jemma says seriously. She thinks Fitz is very brave. And she feels a lot of angry repulse for his father. What’s the point of doing something that doesn’t fulfil you, for the rest of your life? Parents should always support their children, she thinks, no matter what they want to do with their life. They certainly shouldn’t force them to do something out of selfishness.

Fitz nods. “Yeah. I’m glad too.” _And I’m glad we met_ , he adds in silence. It’s been a long while since he could talk to someone like this. Hunter is great, of course. He’s the best friend Fitz has ever had. But … Jemma is different. Although they haven’t known each other for more than a few weeks now, it feels like she’s an integral part of his life he doesn’t want to lose ever again. She’s like a sun in his heart and he wants to be in her light so desperately, he can feel the pressure in every cell of his body and mind. He’s almost shocked about how much in love he is with her. There hasn’t been anybody else in his life he felt that drawn to.

He doesn’t want to stop looking at her. Everything about her is a little wonder. From her soft nutbrown hair to her sparkling warm hazel eyes, from the tip of her nose to the lovely curve of her hips. She’s a complex puzzle, existing of countless beautiful pieces.

Eventually, he realizes he's staring at her and reluctantly decides to avert his gaze, but right then she looks up from her cake and their eyes meet. His breath falters. Jemma smiles and he feels the pulse of his overreacting heart in his throat. He feels so much for her ... It's going to crush him for sure.

 _You should tell her_ , a little voice inside his head whispers urgingly. _Just tell her._

But Fitz doesn’t. He hugs her goodbye when they finished their cake and coffee. He inhales her wonderful scent and feels her warmth for a single marvellous moment. But he doesn’t tell her how he feels.

 _Because_ , he says to himself and the voice, _it’s not the right moment._

But distantly he thinks, that he’s just not brave enough yet. That he still fears rejection. 

He just hopes he will be able to overcome that sometime.

***

Jemma sighs deeply and opens the door to her office. She yawns when she puts her bag on the desk and she yawns when she opens the windows to let a bit of fresh air into the stuffy room.

She feels horrible.

There was a thunderstorm in the night, and she couldn’t sleep because of it. When she went to the toilet in the early morning, feeling groggy and dizzy, there was no toothpaste and no toilet paper. Milton was supposed to buy both things the day before. Jemma yelled at him through his closed door for a while before she had to leave. She was fuming the whole way to the train station. Also the train was delayed and when it finally arrived she couldn’t find a seat. So she had to stand the whole way, almost tumbling over whenever the train dashed around a corner.

Now she’s tired, annoyed and angry because she was late. She hates to be late.

Still, she tries to shake the bad emotions off. She’s at work now. She has to be functional.

Jemma yawns again and goes to make her usual morning round.

She meets Fitz at the exhibit for the gorillas. He’s cleaning the rocks with a rag. He looks like he’s lost in thought, but at her “Good morning, Fitz,” he perks up and smiles at her brightly. His blue eyes sparkle in the sun. Despite her tiredness, she has to smile too. To see Fitz always makes every morning better. Even this one.  

He jumps off the rock and comes closer to talk to her. But he frowns when he studies her face. “Is everything alright?” He asks, leaning against the fence. He’s close. So close, that she can see the hint of worry in his eyes and a red scratch on his face where he must have cut himself while shaving.

Jemma hesitates. She doesn’t want to bother Fitz with her problems … But he tilts his head and asks, “Bad morning?” and she nods, sighing deeply. “A _horrible_ morning. The thunderstorm last night woke me up and I could only sleep four hours. I need at least seven hours to be fully functional. Also I’m sharing a flat with a former study colleague. His name is Milton. He’s useless. Sounds mean, I know. But he really is. He was supposed to make the groceries yesterday and of course he didn’t do it. Also I was late because the stupid train was behind schedule. My flat is really far away from the zoo. So, I have to ride the train every day, which is not really comfortable. Most of the times I find no seat and have to stand the whole time. It’s stressful. I have been searching for a new flat nearer at the zoo, but I can’t find anything I can afford right now.” She rubs her face and shrugs. “Seems like I have to endure this for a while longer.”

Fitz scratches his chin and suddenly his eyes lit up. He clears his throat. “Maybe I could, uh, help you out? I have a free room. You can have it. If you want it.” He blushes again and studies his hand.

“But … didn’t you say you share a flat with Hunter?” Jemma asks surprised. A careful hint of hope and happiness spreads in her at the thought of moving in with Fitz. The thought is making her feel all warm inside and her stomach flutters.

Fitz shakes his head. “Hunter moved out a few weeks ago to live together with his girlfriend Bobbi,” he explains.

“Oh.” Jemma chews on her lip. “If you … if it’s really alright, I would take the room.”

His eyes sparkle even brighter and he almost stumbles over his words when he tells her, “My place is just a 15-minute walk from the zoo. So, no train. And I bet you can sleep much longer then.” He fidgets with the button of his shirt restlessly. “And I, uh, I wouldn't mind the company. Your company. Not at all.”

“Thank you, Fitz,” Jemma says and leans over the fence to press a kiss on his cheek. It just happens. In a natural, easy way. Fitz makes a quiet noise in the back of his throat, and when Jemma backs away, smiling at him, he strokes over the spot where her lips touched his skin with a fingertip.

*

Jemma brings her things to Fitz’s place on a Sunday. It’s a lovely flat, surrounded by beautiful cherry trees in full blossom.

She's glad to be away from Milton, who didn't seem to be too sad about her leaving. 

Fitz shows her the rooms and he blushes slightly when they enter his. It’s full of monkeys. Colourful posters on the walls, books about them in a shelf, on his nightstand and even on the floor. There are DVDs and a cute stuffed monkey on the bed. “My mother gifted it to me a long while ago,” he explains.

She smiles at him. “You have to know so much about them. You really have to teach me about them. And … maybe we can watch some of the documentaries together?”

Fitz swallows hard and he fumbles with the collar of his light-blue shirt nervously. “Yeah. Of course, I … I would love that.” His eyes stick to Jemma's smile and he feels a bit lightheaded. Is this still real or a dream, he wonders distantly. With every passing day he feels more like Jemma might feel something for him too. Or maybe that's just his hopeful imagination. However, he's not ready to give this hope up, even if it is just wishful thinking ... 

Now they're closer to each other than ever before, no monkeys around them or a fence as a barrier. It's just them and Jemma's smile is his world.

*

After only a few days, Jemma feels at home. She sleeps amazingly well with the knowledge that Fitz is just a thin wall away. And she doesn’t have to stand up that early, so she is way less tired in the mornings. Also now, she can walk to the zoo, or ride with the bike.

Soon, her and Fitz’s lives start to intertwine in a comfortable, soft way. They start to eat together. Jemma makes him her special sandwich; prosciutto, mozzarella, and a hint of pesto aioli. He tells her he never wants to eat anything else again. In return, he makes various desserts for them and she falls in love with his chocolate cake.

They also start to have movie Sundays. They watch every monkey docu Fitz has and move on to comedies and romances, sharing a big bowl of popcorn or fruit salad.

Their way to being lovers is marked by little steps. Jemma leans against Fitz while they’re watching Tv. Fitz lays his hand on hers when they share breakfast. They once fall asleep on the couch together and when they wake up, their faces are so close, that their noses touch. They look at each other then and giggle breathlessly, their eyes sparkling and sending silent messages.

On a Sunday on which they watch the stars on Fitz’s balcony, searching for constellations, Jemma kisses him for the first time. Slow and soft. Fitz makes a quiet noise in the back of his throat and kisses her back, his warm hand cupping her face.

When they part, they lean their foreheads together and smile. It's a silent confirmation. The one they were both waiting for.

A comet floats over the night sky above them. 

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired a lot by the page of the ZSL London Zoo! Link: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo
> 
> I'm not a native speaker and always grateful for being corrected! I'm constantly trying to improve my English, so please don't hesitate to tell me about mistakes. <3
> 
> Visit me on tumblr: [ready-to-kick-some-ass](https://ready-to-kick-some-ass.tumblr.com/) :)


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